


Shadows that Haunt Us

by captainbanks



Category: The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-08-12 05:44:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7922743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainbanks/pseuds/captainbanks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Ghostbusters are trained to deal with most ghosts and entities until they come across a demonic shadow that has haunted Egon Spengler's dreams for the past few nights. It is their job to protect their friend, no matter the cost. Slight hint at Egon/Ray.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I have had a terrible fear of shadows for probably most of my life. So why not take my favorite fandom and character and expose them to it? I know, I'm bad :)

There was a colossal downpour of rain, drizzling and flooding the streets of down town New York. Various patches of ice were beginning to form on the pavement due to the epidemic of cold weather moving in from the west. It was a typical New York morning, and again the Ghostbusters had been called out for a paranormal investigation. They had been issued to the Public Library, a hotspot for paranormal phenomenon and various undead entities. Ray Stantz, with his head titled back in the seat, reluctantly sat in the Ecto 1 vehicle, his feet tapping lightly in the bed of the car. He was positioned in the driver side, his hands attached firmly to the steering wheel. The Ghostbusters had gone inside and woefully left their main man in the vehicle to keep it running. Ray watched as plops of rain streamed down the windshield, leaving trails of evaporation in their midst. He had always admired the way rain came and went, its cycles of unending change and how it blotted out the sun. Suddenly there was banging on the door, and Egon’s rapturous face appeared at the passenger side window.

“Ray! Ray we got something incredible!” His fogged up glasses slipped down his face, the onslaught of rain blurring his normally sharp features. He lifted up a smoking trap device and opened the car door, filling the compartment with a voluminous fog. Ray coughed a few times before he could adequately respond.

“That’s great Egon… now please put that in the back before I get second hand smoke!” Egon complied and placed the trap in the backseat, and Ray could barely make out the figures running straight towards the vehicle. The back door opened and Peter, along with Winston, clamored inside, soaking wet and shivering. “How was the catch boys?” Ray said salaciously, trying not to laugh at the shivering comrades in the backseat.

                “Ah, it was… f-fun. Lots of spirits, and not the alcoholic kind.” Peter responded, his legs quivering. “Let’s get this show on the road before I turn into an icicle please!” Ray put the Ecto 1 into drive and the sirens started to blare. He drove on silently, turning his head around occasionally to peer at his friends. Why had they made him sit in the vehicle, he still didn’t know. But he was grateful to have been out of the freezing rain. They arrived at the fire station and Ray parked the Ecto 1, grabbing the trap from the backseat. It would be best to put the beast up in the confinement chamber then to have to worry about it later. He headed downstairs and opened the device up and successfully squared away the ghost, wondering what the ghost had looked like. Maybe he had been similar to slimer, oh man that would have been a sight to see! Ray then heard footsteps coming down the creaky, wooden stairs and saw Egon out of the corner of his eye. The tall, gregarious man had a clipboard in his hand and was dutifully making notes.

                “Whatcha working on, Spengler?” Ray asked, turning to face Egon.

                “Nothing too serious. Trying to work on mathematical telemetries to improve the PKE’s reading capabilities.” He placed his pencil down on the clipboard, peering over the rim of his glasses. “Putting the ghost back into the containment facility, I see. Thank you, I was going to do that later.” He gave a brief smile and went back to jotting down notes. Ray noticed that Egon hadn’t removed the rain soaked clothes from earlier that day. They clung to him heavily, and the wetness from the rain made the ream of his hair slick and curly. He chuckled and went over to the scientist and pinched the rung of wet clothing, gaining Egon’s attention.

                “Hey Speng, you uh. Forgot to get these clothes off.” Egon looked down and appeared surprised, almost as if he had forgotten all together what he was wearing.

                “I forgot, heh. I’ll go get changed. Here, hold this.” He placed the heavy clipboard into Ray’s open grasp and walked upstairs, his shoes slopping against the wooden surface. Ray looked down at the notes, barely able to make out what the miniscule handwriting said. There was a mention of the PKE meter and how some of the readings were barely off, almost by decimals. Here and there were some eloquently drawn spectres of ghosts, a beautiful lady ghost with wispy blonde hair. Another was a ghost of a man whose eyes looked sunken, hauntingly dark and devoid of light. It was shaded as if it were a shadow. He had looked into those ghosts. Nasty ones, not to messed with. Had connection with demonic entities.

                He felt a hand touch his shoulder. It was Egon, dressed in his usual business casual. A sweater vest and a black tie with a coat slung over his shoulder. He took the clipboard back, and began to write again, this time more furtively.

                “I don’t mean to pry, Egon,” Ray said cautiously, gently moving his hand towards Egon’s drawings. “but what’s with the ghosts? I have never seen you draw anything like this before.” Egon gave an expression of uncertainty, as if he was internally debating what to say.

                “I’ve been visited by a… an entity. For the past few nights.” Ray looked at the man incredulously, hoping that the scientist was merely joshing him. Egon peered down and pointed at the shadow figure. “It has no name, and only come in my dreams.” It was eerie listening to Egon describe the entity, a shiver running down Ray’s spine. Imagining something like what he drew appearing in one’s dreams was very unsettling, especially in regards to the manner it was drawn. Fast, broad strokes. Almost panicked, like someone walking up from a dream, or nightmare. Ray placed a warm hand on Spengler’s forearm, squeezing delicately. “I was intrigued by its presence. It did not engage me, merely stared at me and dissipated.” His eyes slanted close, a grim look crossing his features.

                “Sounds like a demonic entity, Egon. We should go research your ghost. See if we can confront it or get rid of it.” Egon nodded and walked towards the stairwell to the level floor with Ray trailing behind.

Peter and Winston were seated at the front desks, looking over some paperwork with Janine when they got back up the stairs. The two glanced the couple over and made some small talk, chatting nonchalantly about the catch they had done earlier that day. Ray decided that going out in the Ghostbusters uniform would draw too much unwanted attention, so he went up to his room and changed into some proper attire for a public library. Ray met back up with Egon and left in the Ecto 1. They arrived later at the library, and parked the vehicle on the sidewalk.

                “We should start with folklore and make our way to the supernatural section, Ray.” Egon stated as they made their way up the concrete slabs, hurriedly trying to escape the rain. They entered the library and passed large tomes of books, towering over them in hulks of red and green. Finally, the two ghostbusters arrived at the Folklore section and went their respective ways. Ray trailed down a section with large, thick books adorned with golden lettering. It appeared to be 19th century literature- definitely something here would give them a clue into finding what was haunting Egon’s dreams. He picked out a small, red book among larger ones. There was dust encasing the cover, and he hastily brushed it off with the front of his palm. It read, “Supernatural Entities and their Respective Qualities.” Ray turned to the first page and looked for shadow people. There was a chapter detailing the folklore behind shadow people.

                “Shadow men are reclusive spiritual entities that visit those who are haunted. There are certain stigmatisms that are correlated with these supernatural visuals. It is said that shadow men who hide under the bed of those that they choose spare them while killing others. It is also linked with sleep paralysis, as the victims are paralyzed and have no motility or speech. There is also a figure referred to as the Shadow Man, an entity that is a solid black mass with a black hat…” Ray stopped reading for a moment to take in all the information. So this mass, haunting Egon, was a shadow man. And it supposedly lived under his bed? It was preposterous. He had to get some more information out of Spengler to confirm this, his dreams had to have some meaning.

                Ray found him standing at a large section of books, intensely staring at an open page of text. His eyes appeared to have glossed over, and his glasses low on his nose. Egon’s body was rigid and did not respond to touch, his muscles stiff and unmoving. “Spengler?” Ray asked hesitantly, gently gliding a hand across his back. Egon sprung into life, his eyes darting around.

                “Ray?” He turned his head to look at the baffled man. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. Not that he hadn’t already… “Sorry Ray. I blanked out there for a second. Did you find anything pertinent to my shadow compadre?”

                Ray breathed in a little, and lifted the red book up to Egon’s point of vision. “Yeah. Apparently your friend is a shadow man. And he hides underneath people’s bed when they are dreaming. Tell me Speng… what happens in your dreams?” There was a moment of silence before Egon spoke, and as he was about to talk he put the book back on the shelf.

                “I’m going to explain as thoroughly as I can recall. I’m in bed, and you guys are asleep beside me. I can’t move, nor speak, but I can move my eyes around, as you mentioned sleep paralysis. Then the figure appears at the doorway… It makes no movement, only stands there and observes me. Rather unsettling, but nonetheless I find no harm in its presence.” He finished the remark by taking a seat in a little alcove situated by the shelves of books. His appearance had taken a pallor, sheen white, and his gaze haphazard, not focused on anything. Ray went up to him and knelt on one knees, trying to get Egon’s attention.

                “You can’t let this thing get to you, Egon. We’ll figure this out, I know we will. Now, let’s get back to headquarters. I have a feeling that our buds can give you some input into what to do.” Ray got up, and wrapped his arm around Egon and dragged him back to the Ecto 1, and then to HQ.

                They gathered in a group around the dining table, with Egon the center piece at the end of the table. He had given his story to everyone, and the gang had surprisingly taken it well. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for them to encounter ghosts, but this was something strange even for regular entities.

                “It was just standing there, watching you?” Winston asked, his grip on his coffee mug tightening. He took a sip of the still steaming liquid and cleared his throat, eyes peering over the rim. “Must have been scary, damn.” The gang nodded along with him, and suddenly the room got eerily quiet. There was a shadow amongst them, and the lack of control all made them worry that something bad was going to occur if the creature was not dealt with properly.

                “well, folks, we have got to solve this problem before Egon starts to get nightmares. And let me tell you, he isn’t sleeping in my bed.” Peter spoke, a half-sided grin etched across his features. Everyone gave out a little laugh, thankful for the little bit of comic relief provided by their resident comedian.

                “Maybe we should go and try an experiment tonight. Just an observation of Egon… see if this entity materializes.” Ray stated, looking around, and caught Egon looking at him warily. “I’ll keep an eye on him. Let you know if he comes around while he’s asleep.” All of the Ghostbusters agreed, and set off to do their respective tasks as the 2 prepared for what was to come later. Ray went upstairs into their collective bunker room and pulled up a chair, placing it beside Egon’s bed.

                “Ray… can I talk with you, as a friend?” The tall scientist sat on his bed and closed his eyes, his expression meager and tired.

                “Of course Egon! I’m always here, if you need to talk.”

                “I have a feeling this entity has the potential to harm us.” His sallow eyes peered over the rim of his glasses, his normally eccentric blue eyes dulled. “The way it careens into the room, how it stands near my bed and stares at me endlessly. I don’t normally have the capacity to say this but… I’m scared Ray.” At first, Stantz didn’t know what to say. Egon hardly ever spoke about his feelings, or emotions for that matter. It was a highly unusual situation, and the man couldn’t offer very much (as there was not much to do about it). So Stantz did what he felt was appropriate in this context, and grabbed Egon’s hand, noting how calloused and rough it felt beneath his.

                “I won’t let it hurt you Egon. I’ll do my best to try to keep our team safe.” Ray strengthened his grip, and felt his heart beat rapidly when Egon gently intertwined their fingers, gently placing his head on the other man’s broad shoulder. It was such a touching moment, and Stantz could feel his cheeks burning hotly.

                “I should get to bed, Ray. It’s getting late.” Ray nodded, looking towards the sunset dissipating in the distance. Egon left the room briefly, and returned in his night gown, his sporadic hair tamed slightly. It looked quite well on him, and Ray watched as he got under the covers and closed his eyes.

                “Don’t be afraid, my dear friend. I’ll be right here if you need me.”

                _A pulsating sound echoed in Egon’s ears as he lay in his bed, completely unable to move his limbs. He recollected that this drilling sound was his heart beat, and it was fastidious and thrumming. There was a tightness bubbling in his abdomen, and suddenly Egon realized he was suffocating. His chest struggled to move, air quelling in the bowels of his diaphragm. He struggled for breath, unable to draw in lungfuls of vital oxygen. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it. The shadow. Its dark form moved quickly, darting out of his peripheral sight. It was a large entity, towering over many objects in the room. It was peering over him now, the thing absorbing all light that contacted it. Its delicately long limb reached out and wrapped its fingers around his neck, squeezing with a dull pressure. Pinpricks began to form in his eyesight, god he was going to die, with this sickly grotesque shadow hovering over him…_

_“Egon…” it whispered, its dark form unmoving. “Wake up…”_

Ray was watching Egon ruse here and there when he noticed that Egon’s body started to tense up, his muscles on his arms flexing and chest heaving steadily. He quickly went over and started to try to wake him up, shouting his name and shaking his shoulders.

                “Egon! Wake up!” Ray yelled, giving his friend a few slaps across the face. Egon’s breathing became more shallow, and finally his eyes shot open, the whites of his eyes pinpricked with tiny ruptured blood vessels. At first the man was silent, unmoving. His lips trembled and Ray sensed sweat sheened beneath his night gown.

                “It came. In my dreams. It tried to kill me.” Egon’s eyes watered and silent tears slid down his cheeks in waves. Ray was dumbfounded as he held the man in his arms, running a hand down the curve of Egon’s back.

                “I don’t think I saw it Spengs. I was watching you the entire time. It must be targeting you, specifically.”

                “It must be. It felt like I was dying, Ray. This thing, whatever it is, wants me to suffer and harm me through my dreams.”

                There were no more words exchanged after that. It was a long, silent night, with Egon lying beside Ray, comforted by the fact that he had earned such a wonderful and caring friend. There was much to deal with in terms of the shadow entity, and they were bound to figure it out. But as for now, it was time for comfort… and Egon didn’t mind that.


	2. Shadows That Haunt Us, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's part 2 of this portion of the story. I hope you guys like it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Egon faces his demons.

There was silence as Egon worked delicately on his ghost detecting instruments, not caring for how late the eve was. His meticulous hands perused over a piece of machinery, a screwdriver in hand and a socket wrench jutting out of the tool box next to him. The fire house was quiet, and the moon was peering through the slit of hovering clouds in the sky. Moonlight poured in from a window to Egon’s left, and the lamp sitting in from of him shone bright. A wave of lethargy immersed over Egon, as he had been unable to sleep after the Shadow had come into his dreams. It had haunted his dreams many a night, even after Ray had stayed with him that one instance, and there was no point in sleeping if he was only going to wake up terrified. He stopped his work and closed his eyes, the threat of sleep towering over his body. Pinpricks of darkness blotted across his vision, dancing and swirling, enticing him to relax. Egon leaned forward, his body almost caving into the sweet abyss of release. Do not fall asleep, he murmured to himself. Don’t…

A pair of hands grabbed his shoulders, and Egon nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked back to find Ray, eyes exhausted as if he had aroused from slumber a few minutes prior. Ray had on a pair of pink pajamas, and a Dopey dog stuffed animal was tight in his embrace.

“Egon, it’s almost 4 am in the morning. What are you doing up?” he yawned and leaned against the table.

“I am… trying to improve this PKE spectrometer. Just a few more adjustments and I will go to sleep.” Egon tried his best to look alert, to not give any hint on how tired he actually was. A moment passed as he pretended to work more, the instruments moving haphazardly. Ray narrowed his eyes, looking straight through the façade Egon was putting up. He could tell by the way Egon was slumped over the desk that he obviously hadn’t had any good sleep in the past few days, or possibly the previous weeks. It could be possible that the dream was bothering the scientist more than he let on. Ray slipped an arm around Egon’s and attempted to lift him up.

“Come on Egon, I know you are tired. Why don’t you come with me and just sleep? It will help you feel better.” Ray tried his best to tug at the scientist, but he wouldn’t budge and Egon remained seated in the chair. Ray kneeled down, setting his stuffed animal beside him on the floor and looked Egon straight in the eyes. Soft, beautiful blue orbs peered down at him. They were like open waters, swimming with emotion, their flecks of silver and blue like tiny chips of opal. Something was amiss, as Ray looked on, as he could tell by the way Egon vainly attempted to look away.

“Egon… is it your dreams bothering you?” Ray watched as his friend furrowed his eyebrows, and the answer to the question was obvious.  
“Yes. The Shadow entity has relented and has not left me since that night. I cannot sleep without the threat of it coming back.” Egon placed his chin in the palm of his hands, and closed his eyes wearily. “For the first time… I am afraid.”

“I knew it. Egon, we will get to the bottom of this. I think I might have an idea on how to confront this thing. Have you ever heard of astral projection?” Ray said, his expression lighting up with excitement.

“Yes. A very ancient ritual that has perturbed scientists like myself for many centuries. The ability to project one’s soul outside the realm of reality into a dream like state… very fascinating.”

“Well, do you think you could astral project yourself into that reality and confront it?” The idea of facing the creature which had been the bane of Egon’s existence seemed harrowing. But, it would be an interesting experience to endeavor for the sake of his sanity.

“Possibly. Although I do not enjoy the idea of projecting into that world alone. Would…” Egon paused, unsure if he should continue. Ray nodded his head as a confirmation to conclude his statement. “you join me?”

“Yes, I would be honored to. Well, we should do some more research later. As for now, you have to get sleep in order to be strong enough to confront it.” Egon huffed in disapproval, much to his chagrin, he could be finishing up the last workings to his devices. He agreed, and followed the shorter man into the bedroom where they slept. Peter and Winston were asleep, their bodies slowed to the rhythm of the early morning. Egon’s bed was right next to Ray, which was comforting in the fact that Ray was his trusted friend… possibly more than that, but Egon didn’t have the energy to dwell on the thought.

He sat down on his neatly made bed, his eyes heavy with the burden of insomnia. The pillow lying flat on the bed appeared very inviting, and he positioned himself on the bed to where he could see Ray across from him. Ray had his back turned away, and from what Egon could see, was fast asleep. Now that he was lying in bed, Egon was unable to deny the growing fear accumulating in the back of his mind. If he closed his eyes, the specter was surely able to manifest and attack him… he felt a gnawing sense of anxiety, heart racing a clear indication of the fact. He glanced back to the now supine Ray, the soft rise of his chest a calming light in the wild torrent of darkness in the recesses of his mind. An urge to get up and wake Stantz struck him. He didn’t want to be alone in thought, for once in his logical life. There was a desire to hear a heart beat against his chest, to know that there was another human being on this planet who knew exactly how he felt and could respond accordingly.

“Ray…” he whispered, his heart thrumming fast, the rush of blood roaring in his ears. “Hey!” the other man stirred slightly, his eyelids shifting here and there. After a few moments Ray was up, and on his side looking at Egon.

“Mm… Spengler… go to sleep.”

Egon sighed, and thought to himself for a moment. He got up from the bed and walked over to Ray’s, and sat down on the adjacent side. Ray looked up, surprised and opened his mouth to say something meaningful but was unable to say a word. Egon glanced at the scientist and laid flat on the bed alongside Stantz, his body stiff and unmoving.  
“Ray… I need you. Please, stay with me so I am not alone in my thoughts.” Egon barely managed to let the words escape past his lips, as it was very difficult to speak from his emotions.

“I will always be here for you, Spengs. I…” He shifted onto his other side, nearly falling off due to the small, narrow length of the bed. Now the two were close, their bodies barely grazing. A warmth spread across Ray’s chest as he felt the sense that Egon was finally opening up to him, after all of these years of callous remarks. “care about you.” There was an undeniable sense of heightened acuity between the two men, whether it be their shared sense of lust for knowledge, or the creeping sense of loneliness that was apparent in their lives. “I just have one question Egon. Why me?” Ray stated, his eyes low, not meeting the other’s sharp gaze.

“You are very intelligent. You understand my desire to keep unpleasant feelings hidden and you have a sense of duty that is unmatched, even in the direst of situations. I am drawn to you, irrevocably.” The warmth of their bodies being close drew the two together with ethereal magnetism, and Ray was the first to place a hand on the hem of Egon’s shirt. The material was soft between his fingertips, and he tugged the fabric upwards, an additional hand snaking up Egon’s torso towards his chest. Ray could feel the thrum of blood rushing through his veins, arteries, the entire expanse of the chest. It was an amazing sensation, especially since Egon rarely ever let anyone touch him in this manner.

“You are human, Egon. The need for mutual companionship is completely natural.” Ray finished the statement by removing his hand from Egon’s chest and moving it back to its original position.

“I know. I- “the words were silenced as a pair of lips pressed against his, gentle and soft. Egon was initially taken back, but returned the kiss with a more passionate response. The warm, delicate nature of Ray’s lips were an exquisite sensation, and he could sense the slickness of saliva sticking to the corners of their mouths. His palms traveled over Ray’s pink pajamas, fighting the urge to pull the shirt up and touch the man freely. Ray opened his mouth slightly, and allowed for the other’s tongue to slip inside. Their tongues swirled around one another, the soft papillae grazing over one another, breath bated as it became harder to inhale. It was a few more minutes of kissing before they pulled apart, boneless against the other’s chest.

“That was wonderful, Egon.” Ray whispered, his body heaving. “I hope you didn’t mind.”

“No, Ray. You did the right thing…” Egon took his hand and placed it on the back of Ray’s neck, drawing him in for another kiss. This time, the exchange was more passionate, and their legs intertwined naturally, lust driving the motions that followed. A blush crept up Egon’s neck as he felt a pair of hands working meticulously at one of his nipples, pinching and rolling the nub to hardness. He let out a soft moan, breath hitching, trying hard not to wake the other from their slumber. Ray was slack against his body, a muscular leg wedged tight into Egon’s crotch, slowly rubbing the growing erection in his pants to completeness. Ray pulled away from the kiss and trailed his lips down the long expanse of Egon’s neck, noting how smooth the skin there was. A tongue swirled down Egon’s jugular, and then to the crook of his collarbone. Ray hesitated as he bit down softly upon the other’s skin, suckling the flesh as he went lower.

“Ray… that feels so good…” Egon murmured, a moan barely escaping his mouth as he said it.

“I’d bet it would feel better if you went to sleep…” Ray asked, his mouth curling into a devious smile.

“Alright, I’ll attempt to sleep.” Egon closed his eyes, and visions of Ray stuck in his mind, the pressure of lips against his neck lingered. Ray pulled the terse scientist close and wrapped an arm around him, laying his head on Egon’s chest.

“If you need anything I’ll be right here…” there were no other words to say as they both drifted off into a dreamless slumber, comforted by the other’s presence.  
It was late into the morning when Egon finally woke up, the empty place beside him an indication that everyone had gotten up and were off being productive members of society. He hardly ever slept in, and he attributed that to the fact that Ray had relieved some of the tension that had been building in his mind for quite some time.  
Chatter rose from the bottom of the stairwell as Egon made way down the stairwell, his hands gliding smoothly over the railing of the banister. As he made the last step, he could see Ray and Peter chanting nonchalantly, with Winston over in the kitchen apparently making breakfast. A feeling struck Egon as he observed Ray, and the kissing that had occurred earlier between the two crossed his mind. He wanted to relive that moment again…

“Ray, Peter, good morning.” Egon spoke coolly, walking past the two to sit down in a chair. Ray caught his eyes and smiled affectionately, a tint of color rising on the apple of his cheeks.

“Hey Egon. Sleep well last night?” Peter asked, leaning against the table where Janine normally worked at.

“Quite.” Egon awkwardly shifted on the chair, trying to be cool about the fact that he was experiencing some blood rushing… and not to the right place.

“Hey! Breakfast is ready!” Winston called from the other room, and the three walked into the kitchen to the smell of delicious pancakes and scrambled eggs. They all sat down at the table and ate contently, not minding the fact that Ray and Egon were staring at each other. Egon took a bite of his pancake and suddenly felt a foot graze his ankle. He narrowed his eyes at Ray, a silent warning to cease whatever he was trying to illicit out of the man. Ray looked back with feigned innocence and continued to eat his pancakes. The foot went higher up his pant leg, brushing past his ankles, and stopping at his thigh. Egon nearly choked on his food when Ray’s toes grazed up his crotch.

“Everything alright Egon?” Winston inquired, his expression furrowed with concern. The other man coughed and vainly attempted to swallow the remainder of his food.

“ACk- yes, my apologies. I must have swallowed incorrectly.” Egon muttered hotly, staring down Ray crossly. Ray was absentmindedly looking around, a grin brimming at the corners of his mouth.

The Ghostbusters finished their meal, and went upstairs to discuss what was going to happen to Egon in the next few hours. Ray explained his plan on teaching Egon how to astral project into a separate reality, and how they needed to be prepared for any possibility. Winston and Peter would be at the ready, proton packs charged just in case the Shadow creature came into their dimension. As Peter and Winston left to go work on their equipment for later that day, Ray and Egon proceeded to the bedroom where the astral projection would take place.

Ray pulled up a chair next to the bed and instructed Egon to lay flat on the bed, with his eyelids closed and arms relaxed.

“Alright, Egon. Listen to the sound of my voice. Take in deep breaths, and clear your mind of every abstraction.” Egon did as he was told, and focused on darkness. “Remember the first rule of projecting outside of yourself: you are bound by a silver string. It represents your spirit. Do not lose sight of it.” Egon nodded, affirming that he had heard Ray’s warning. After a few minutes of deep breathing and abstract thought, there was a definitive change flowing through his body.

A peaceful feeling engulfed Egon’s body; it was a surreal sensation. He felt his body diminish, static flowing through the inner most aspect of the veins and arteries that flowed through his body. There was a disconnect now, a sense of impairment as Ray’s calming voice faded into nothingness and the world absolved around Egon. Suddenly, there was a tugging feeling at his soul, like an unseen force was attempting to pull him out of his body. Images before his eyes began to clear, and now he was peering down at his still form, with Ray seated next to the bed. He moved forward, looking around at the surroundings in the bedroom. It truly felt like he was outside the realm of reality, as if he was in another dimension that was exactly the same as the space he dwelled in. Fascinating.

A voice floated through the air, in the direction of the stairwell. He turned to the sound, feet barely grazing the floor.  
“Eeegoon…” It was deep, guttural tone that sliced through Egon’s hearing like a blade. From where he was standing, he could almost see tiny black tendrils sneaking past the doorway towards him. A wave of anxiety washed over him- his heart thrummed quickly as there was a body attached to the tendrils moving slowly. It was a solid black mass, and the light surrounding its grotesque form immediately dissipated into darkness.

“What do you want?” Egon managed to get out, his body gradually sinking to the ground, feet planting lightly on the hardwood flooring.

“I want your soul. I will give you a chance to come willingly…” the words slipped from its figure, hauntingly baritone and ominous. It sounded as if there were multiple voices occupying the same space, an eerie chorus of demented souls. The tendrils spread out and grew like vines, sucking the life out of anything it managed to slither across.  
“No. You cannot take my soul; I will not let you.” Egon stated, his eyes darting towards Ray’s moving form. Taking a look at Ray, it seemed as if he was in a continuous loop of action, but Egon could barely make out what he trying to say to his limp body. Once his feet hit the ground, he felt a light thread slip through his fingers. It was the silver string Ray had mentioned earlier, the piece of fabric that represented his soul. If the shadow entity managed to get a hold of it, he was surely doomed. A tight hold was placed on the delicate sliver, and he moved backwards away from the black mass. Now he could see pinpricks of red through the apparition, appearing to be its small beady eyes. They darted to Egon and then to Ray’s unmoving form.

“Maybe I will have to convince you otherwise.” It spoke, the tendrils now making its way to Ray.

“NO!” Egon shouted, throwing himself towards his friend. He took in a deep sigh, and tried to remember what Ray told him how to go back to the real world. If he couldn’t get out of this state… Egon feared the worst. He ran to his own body and counted back from 10, the tiny string in his palm throbbing with the beat of his heart. The shadow entity drew closer, its raspy voice merely a stone throw’s away, and now panic struck him harder than ever. Now he could feel the effects of the chanting, the counting was pulling his soul back into his body, drawing him away from the creature. It let out a howl, and attempted to slip a tendril around his waist but was unsuccessful.

It was like waking from a terrible nightmare, sweat dripping from his prone form as Egon threw his eyes open, Ray jolting up beside him.

“Egon! Oh, god Egon, are you ok? I tried to wake you up, you were muttering and shaking in your sleep…” Ray’s worried speech echoed in his ears. He couldn’t place his face, or feel grounded to anything. Everything was corroded in static.

“I made contact with the creature, Ray. It wants my soul…” Spengler placed his forehead against Ray’s shoulders, his body shaking with terror. “I was so close to… to…” there was a terrifying feeling of dread as the doorway across the room where the creature stood before him in the other realm stood untouched.

“Egon, it’s going to be alright. You’re here with me now. It’s not going to hurt you, and if so I won’t let it.” Ray tenderly placed a hand on Egon’s cheek, and ran a thick finger down the flesh, stopping at the curl on his lips. He leaned down and kissed him fondly, his lips brushing past where his finger previously was.

“Ray… you are the most important person in my life. Thank you for assisting in my endeavors. I do hope this being can be vanquished.” Egon drew closer to Ray, body still trembling with fear. He had never felt this amount of distress in terms of ghosts or spirits; he had always had a methodical manner of approaching beings of this sort. This thing… it was personally attacking him and he was bound to get to the bottom of it. Be it life or death, Egon was going to face his demons.


End file.
